Stocking protector



March 3, 1942. s.- E. SCHWARTZ ET AL 2,275,191 l STOCK ING PROTECTORFiled Oct. 27, 1939 INVENTORS so/ oMo/v E. SCHWARTZ BY sfyMoz/,QSCHWARTZ ATTORNE Patented Mar. 3, 1942 STOCKING PROTECTOR Solomon E.Schwartz and Seymour E. Schwartz, New York, N. Y.

Application October 27, 1939, Serial No. 301,562

(CLSB- 585) 2 claims.-

This invention relates to improvements in stocking protector,` and moreparticularly a cushion pad for securement directly to the back of ashoe.

Objects Among the principal objects which the present invention has inView are: to provide an article in the form of an improved stockingprotector to be applied to the inside back of a shoe and to be rigidlyadhered thereto; to reduce to a minimum the possibility of causing runsin stockings of the wearer usually caused by frictional engagement ofthe foot at the back of a shoe; to reduce to a minimum the possibilityof causing blisters and sores at the back of the foot of a wearer of newshoes usually caused by frictional engagement of the foot rubbingagainst the back of the shoe; to provide an article having an adherentthereon and not requiring dampening or moistening before applying it tthe back of a shoe; to provide means on the article to be juxtaposed tothe back of a shoe and not be adhered to the shoe; to provide a cushionon one side of the article which will provide comfort under slightpressure of a foot thereagainst; to provide means on the article whichwill prevent crinkling or distortion of the article material usuallycaused by frictional engagement of a foot; to manufacture the improvedprotector in a finished condition ready for application to the back of ashoe so as to be substantially the shape of the heel portion at the back0f a foot; to provide means in the protector whereby perspiration from afoot will not be absorbed by the adherent surface of the protector; toenable the article to be manufactured at a minimum cost; to provide abase material on which the protector may be adhered and removed whendesired without losing its effectiveness upon removal therefrom; and toobtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in thefollowing description.

Drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe, and isillustrative of our improved stocking protector attached to the insideback of a shoe;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the improved protector showing one sidethereof temporarily attached to a base material before being applied toa shoe and convenient to shipping;

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the protector removed from the basematerial and of the opposite side which holds the said protectorsecurely to the inside of the back of a shoe;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 and is an enlarged fragmentaryportion of the upper part of the protector; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 and showing a slightly modifiedconstruction.

Description As seen in the drawing, it is the purpose of the presentinvention to manufacture our improved stocking protector so that it maybe easily applied, and to manufacture the same so that it may be readilyapplicable in its manufactured shape to immediately t theinsideback I0of a shoe II and without requiring re-shaping of the protector. Thematerial employed in constructing the improved protector I2 may be ofany suitable character, and as in the preferred showing forth in Figuresl to 5 inclusive, preferably comprises two ply material with the sideagainst which the stocking on a foot contacts not having any adhesive,and may, for instance, be soft leather, rubber composition, cloth, felt,Velvet or the like.

As seen in Figure l of the drawing, we have shown the shoe I I such asfavored by women for evening wear, though it may be said at this timethat the invention is applicable to all types of shoes. It is to benoted that the back portion Ill of the shoe is of substantially thesaine shape as the heel of the foot so as to give a better fit and morecomfortable feeling to the foot when it is entirely in the shoe. Tothose Well versed in the art, it will be understood that much discomfortto the wearer of new shoes or tightly fitted shoes and shoes of the typeillustrated is experienced by rubbing of the back of the foot againstthe inside back of the shoe. This rubbing not only causes discomfort,but is deleterious to the stockings, causing holes and runs therein,also blisters and sores on the foot resulting from constant frictionalrubbing against the leather or lining material of the shoe. To overcomethese and other difficulties and disadvantages of the shoe constructionand use, we have provided a stocke ing protector I2 to be applied to theinside material at the back i of the shoe II and which will readilyadhere thereto Without first requiring dampening or applying moisturethereto.

In carrying out the invention, the protector I2 is preferablyconstructed of two pieces of material joined together by suitable means,such as by a waterproof adhesive. The one said material will be referredto as the outside facing material I3 or that material which will contactthe foot, and the other material will be referred to as the backingmaterial Iii or that material which is made fast with respect to theshoe. The facing material I3 preferably may be of cloth, soft leather,rubber composition, felt, velvet or the like, with the surface thereofof a soft and smooth finish so as not to rub against the stocking, butto present a cushioning and soft effect to the foot when in the shoe.The back material It on the reverse side may be of linen, coarse clothor of pliable substance to which conveniently may be applied a normallytacky adhesive I 5, such as of zinc oxide and which requires nomoistening when desiring to apply it to any article.

With the soft smooth outer material I3 and the base material Ill withits adherent I5 thereon manufactured in long strips, shaping and cuttingthe same into desired sizes for use in' shoes in the form of ourstocking protectors is now in order. The shape of the protector when cutfrom the strip preferably is in the form of a pair of wings I8 wellrounded at their outer ends. The protector may be at the top thereofarcuate in shape so as to follow substantially the contour of the backof the shoe, while the lower side of the protector from the outer endportions of the wings curve slightly upward and then downwardly towardsthe center thereof to provide an extension I'I having an invertedV-shaped notch EB in the middle of said extension.

In order that the protector present a cushioning effect to the foot of awearer, it is desirable that means be provided on the base material I4having the adhesive I5, In this connection said means preferably may bea narrow strip of sponge rubber I9 of a length less than the widestportion of the protector from wing to wing. Said strip of rubber I9 ismade fast to the adhesive coating of the base material and attachedthereto adjacent the top curvilinear line and preferably is curvedsimilarly the same as the aforesaid top of the protector. Also, it maybe said at this time that the strip of rubber at its exposed side is notcoated with any adherent and is free to spread at all times when inv usein a shoe. While we prefer using a strip of sponge rubber, we do notwish to confine ourselves to such material, as any other suitablematerial such as felt, cotton, leather or the like may conveniently beused if so desired.

When stamping the protectors from the long strips of assembled facematerial and base material, it is desired that the cutter die (notshown) cut the desired shapes of the protectors along all edges thereofwith the exception of the bottom edge of the extension il to providesaid edges with small V-notches or serrations 2U. We have found the useof these serrated edges to be very advantageous, especially when theprotector is in use in the shoe. Such advantages preferably may be thatthe protector will more readily adhere by virtue of the serrated edge toany irregularities appearing in the surface at the heel portions ofshoes, and will prevent bulging and overlapping of the materialcomprising the protector when in the shoes. Since the shape of all heelsis not identical, the serrated edge enables close contact to be hadalong the edge of the protector with the heel, under varying conditionsof required length for the edge. Thus, by use of the serrated edge theprotector will have more universal application to heels of differentshapes with the assurance in each case of the edges of the protectormaking contact with the adjacent surface of the heel.

As it is desirable to furnish two protectors for use in a pair of shoes,and due to the coated surface l5 of the base material I4 being exposed,protective means for shipping and handling is required. Such means isshown in Figure 2 in the form of a backing or protective member 2l,preferably of crinoline, buckram or the like. This protective memberpreferably is of a double oval shape but larger than the protector I2,so as to be enabled to temporarily retain two protectors thereto. Afterthe pair of protectors have been secured in place with the adhesivecoated side against the surface of the protective member 2 I, saidmember may then be folded along crease line 22 with the facing materialI3 of the protectors in juxtaposition to each other. With the protectorsenclosed within the folded protective member, the packaged protectorsmay then be enclosed in a cellophane or similar envelope and inreadiness for shipping and sale.

As shown in Figure 6, the construction of the stocking protector may beof a slightly different construction than that shown and described inFigures 1 to 5 inclusive. To this end the body portion may be ofone-piece material, such as moleskin or other similar material I3. Asheretofore, a normally tacky adhesive such as zinc oxide I5 may beapplied as a coating and covering the entire surface on one sidethereof. The side opposite the coated side preferably as in thepreferred showing is of a soft velveting finish in order that noirritating effect be given to the foot rubbing thereagainst. Also, as inthe preferred showing a strip of sponge rubber or similar material I9 isheld fast to the adhesive coated side IE. Packaging of a pair of theseprotectors may be the same as heretofore mentioned, as the shape andconstruction are similar in every respect.

In operation and use of our improved stocking protectors I2, they firstare removed from their protective backing ZI. When thus removed, theperson takes one in hand and bends it with the facing material I3 of thewings I6 not quite touching and using the large V-shaped notch I8 as aguide, and in this condition it is inserted at the back of the shoe IIwith the bottom edge of the extension I'I resting on the heel portion ofthe shoe. The wings I 6 then are spread apart with each wing being madeto adhere to the sides of the back portion of the shoe as shown inFigure l. Slight pressure need only be applied by merely running thefinger tips over the entire outer facing material I3, and due to thezinc oxide adhesive coating the protector will readily Iadhere to theshoe material. When such protector is used by an individual the rst timeit is preferable that a shoe horn or other similar device be used toassist in placing the foot into the shoe.

In use the protector will not wrinkle or pull together from thefrictional rubbing of a foot thereagainst. This is prevented by virtueof the presence of the cushioning member I9 against which indirectfrictional, engagement is made by the back of the foot on its coveredside and as Aa result thereof will cause the said cushioning member tospread upwardly, sideways or downwardly since its shoe-contactingsurface is not made to adhere to the shoe. Another feature of saidcushioning member is that a slight ridge 23 is formed the entirelongitudinal length thereof. This said ridge provides a cushioningeffect to 2,275,191 ythe back of the foot and minimizes the foot fromslipping out of the shoe. Also, since the facing is of soft pliablematerial rubbing of the foot thereagainst will greatly minimize runs andholes in stockings, and any perspiration from the foot will be absorbedby the said material without the material losing its effectiveness, orcausing damage to the Iadhesive coating on the base material. Whendesiring to remove the protector from a shoe, it may easily beaccomplished by gripping any part of the serrated edges vand thenpulling in either direction until entirely removed.

Obviously detail changes and modifications may be made in theconstruction and use of our improved stocking protector withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention, and we do not wishto be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact construction oroperation shown or described except as set forth in the following claimswhen construed in the light of the prior art.

We claim:

1. A stocking protector of the character described comprising base andfront portions with the base portion having a coating of adhesiveadapted to be attached to the inside heel portion at the back of a shoe,said front portion being of soft pliable material against which a footis adapted to frictionally engage and protect a stocking on the foot ofIa user at the place of contact with the protector, a flexible tubularmember free of adhesive and of a length substantially the longitudinallength of the protector and arranged to lie below and parallel to theupper edge of the shoe at the back thereof and being secured 'adjacentthe top of said protector to the adhesive surface on the base portionwith the non-adhered portion of the tubular member arranged for engagingthe inside of the shoe and adapted to flex in any direction underpressure of the foot.

2. A stocking protector of the character described comprising base andfront portions with the base portion having 'a coating of adhesiveadapted to be attached to the inside heel portion at the back of a shoe,said front portion being of soit pliable material against which a footis adapted to frictionally engage and protect a' stocking on the foot ofa user at the place of contact with the protector, a substantiallynarrow strip of sponge rubber free of adhesive and of a lengthsubstantially the longitudinal length of the protector and arranged tolie below and parallel to the upper edge of the shoe at the back thereofand being secured adjacent the top of said protector to the adhesivesurface on the base portion with the non-adhered portion of the tubularmember arranged for engaging the inside of the shoe and Iadapted to ilexin any direction under pressure of the foot.

SOLOMON SCHWARTZ.

SEYMOUR E. SCHWARTZ.

